On the morning of April 8th, 2013, I begrudgingly
woke up to begin my morning routine.
Glazed with the lack of sleep, I pummeled my alarm clock undeservingly
three or four times to get a few skinny minutes of interrupted sleep.
I stumbled to the coffee maker and hit the magic button to
percolate the life-giving four cups of coffee that I pre-loaded the night
before. I then hit the button on
my radio that sits on my living room floor with my big toe. It too is
pre-programmed to NPR at a volume I am sure my neighbors don’t appreciate at
that hour.
I need to be on autopilot most mornings to get up and out,
so the less I leave to chance the better!
In disbelief, I stared in the mirror to look upon a much
older imposter. After I got over
my disappointment that he was really me, I brushed my teeth, shaved, showered
and sipped some coffee, all the while listening to NPR and the local public
radio station.
I enjoy the slow paced news reporting and comprehensive
featured stories that replace the rapid fire, repetitive TV or typical radio news
delivered by talking heads being constantly interrupted by annoying commercials. Besides getting updated on the latest
world crisis and the daily reminders of how our constipated elected officials
can’t make decisions, the broadcast helps to facilitate the waking process and slowly
turn me into a human being.
This particular morning, I was listening to an interview by
Jeremy Hobson in his syndicated Market Place Morning Report. It was with Tom Agan, managing partner
at Rivia, a firm specializing in innovation and brand consulting. The topic was innovation and, more
importantly, what is the best age for innovation.
The refreshing message, clear and straight, … it is never
too late to innovate and, in reality, those that are most innovative are a
little long in the tooth. So
there’s not only hope but proof that folks in their forties and fifties can and
do create new products, … and to
take it further … change careers, begin a new life, do something great or become
someone they always wanted to be.
The key thread through Mr. Hobson’s story and the critical
ingredient for innovation according to Mr. Agan’s research, is experience. Once again, I go to my trusted counsel,
Mr. Webster. Experience means “a
practical knowledge, skill or practice derived from direct observation of or
participation in events or in a particular activity”. More over, experien”ed” means “made skillful or wise through
experience”.
My good friend continued to feed my frenzied search for confirmation
by adding synonyms such as accomplished, consummate, crackerjack, expert,
masterful, and my favorite … virtuoso.
Wow!!! To think I was
just getting older!!
“The real innovators average about age 40” stated Mr. Agan
during Mr. Hobson’s interview. He
went on to say that the image of a young college kid in his dorm room concocting
the next big idea like Mark Zuckerberg is a “total fallacy”. Agan provided a true
example of Steve Jobs who created the iPod and iPhone after many years of working
in the industry. His successes and
innovations came after years of experience (aka trial and error) or graduating
from the “school of hard knocks” as by grandma Julia used to say. I am sure we all can come up with many,
many more men and women who have mastered their trade and accomplished great
things. There are many, many more
just waiting to explode with the next big idea or simply to make a foundational
shift in their lives.
Now that I have proven without a shadow of a doubt that all
of us baby boomers have the potential through extensive experience and knowhow
to be innovative, why aren’t we?
Why aren’t we bursting into the boardroom with a company saving concept,
or convince our spouse to move to Paris, or get that PhD we always wanted, or write
that one great book that is in us?
Why? Why? Why?
Glad you asked!
Over several months, I wrote three bogs, titled “Catapult for Sale”,
“Settling is for Rocks” and “Fear of Falling”.
In each, I tried to share my own reasons through personal
experiences as to why I didn’t, on multiple occasions, cross that ocean of
molten lava from wanting something (aka “State of Desire”) to making it happen
(aka “State of Being Cycle”).
There are so many reasons and for each of us the reasons are so very personal
and so very real.
In “Settling is for Rocks”, I contemplated my comfort with
complacency and the usual. In
“Fear of Falling”, it was the gut wrenching, sweat drenching anxiety provoked
by the unknown and potential failure.
In “Catapult for Sale”, I shared my belief that if you do
not engineer your own mechanism for change in the way you want, someone or some
event may make a change for you and one that is not of your liking.
The moral of the story, according to this casual observer
and “virtuoso” (Don’t laugh!!), is that experience and knowledge is only part
of the equation for innovation and creation. There needs to be that bee in your bonnet, thorn in your
side, pebble in your shoe and/or burr under your saddle that makes you take the
leap and begin your journey.
So, my graying friend, if you find the words “I am too old
to be doing this” rolling off your tongue and passing through your lips …. think
again, long and hard … while listening to your favorite tunes on your iPod!
****************************************************************************
In case you don’t believe me, here’s the link to hear Jeremy
Hobson’s interview with Tom Agan.
